Yesterday, the Taoiseach was at Loop Head lighthouse, Co Clare, launching his party's plans to boost tourist numbers to 10 million, when he was asked if he had regrets.

"No I don't," he replied, adding: "Some of them wouldn't know sunshine if they saw it."

Mr Kenny made the original comments after spending time canvassing in Castlebar. In a speech to supporters, he didn't hide his disappointment at some of the local response to his time in office.

"God knows we have some All-Ireland champions here in Castlebar... I mean the whingers that I hear every week, saying there's nothing happening," he said.

"Well, I want to assure them that the future is very bright. All we have to do is maintain the progress in terms of our economy. We'll look after our hospitals, we'll look after our schools, we'll look after our infrastructure."

Fianna Fáil's Ms Chambers said that Mr Kenny was "insensitive and out of touch".

Recovery

Mr Kenny, however, was unapologetic at yesterday's rain-soaked Fine Gael campaign stop in Co Clare to pledge a €100m investment in tourism.

During the visit, he also met Ann Gibson (96) and told her about how his grandfather, James McGinley, was the local lighthouse keeper in the 1930s.

In recent days, Mr Kenny has given the 'Keep the recovery going' slogan fewer airings and is instead speaking of 'bringing the recovery to every home'.